Dataset Information

Severe anemia in Papua New Guinean children from a malaria-endemic area: a case-control etiologic study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

There are few detailed etiologic studies of severe anemia in children from malaria-endemic areas and none in those countries with holoendemic transmission of multiple Plasmodium species.

Methodology/principal findings

We examined associates of severe anemia in 143 well-characterized Papua New Guinean (PNG) children aged 0.5-10 years with hemoglobin concentration <50 g/L (median [inter-quartile range] 39 [33]-[44] g/L) and 120 matched healthy children (113 [107-119] g/L) in a case-control cross-sectional study. A range of socio-demographic, behavioural, anthropometric, clinical and laboratory (including genetic) variables were incorporated in multivariate models with severe anemia as dependent variable. Consistent with a likely trophic effect of chloroquine or amodiaquine on parvovirus B19 (B19V) replication, B19V PCR/IgM positivity had the highest odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 75.8 (15.4-526), followed by P. falciparum infection (19.4 (6.7-62.6)), vitamin A deficiency (13.5 (5.4-37.7)), body mass index-for-age z-score <2.0 (8.4 (2.7-27.0)) and incomplete vaccination (2.94 (1.3-7.2)). P. vivax infection was inversely associated (0.12 (0.02-0.47), reflecting early acquisition of immunity and/or a lack of reticulocytes for parasite invasion. After imputation of missing data, iron deficiency was a weak positive predictor (6.4% of population attributable risk).

Conclusions/significance

These data show that severe anemia is multifactorial in PNG children, strongly associated with under-nutrition and certain common infections, and potentially preventable through vitamin A supplementation and improved nutrition, completion of vaccination schedules, and intermittent preventive antimalarial treatment using non-chloroquine/amodiaquine-based regimens.

SUBMITTER: Manning L

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3521670 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Severe anemia in Papua New Guinean children from a malaria-endemic area: a case-control etiologic study.

Manning Laurens L Laman Moses M Rosanas-Urgell Anna A Michon Pascal P Aipit Susan S Bona Cathy C Siba Peter P Mueller Ivo I Davis Timothy M E TM

PLoS neglected tropical diseases 20121213 12

<h4>Background</h4>There are few detailed etiologic studies of severe anemia in children from malaria-endemic areas and none in those countries with holoendemic transmission of multiple Plasmodium species.<h4>Methodology/principal findings</h4>We examined associates of severe anemia in 143 well-characterized Papua New Guinean (PNG) children aged 0.5-10 years with hemoglobin concentration <50 g/L (median [inter-quartile range] 39 [33]-[44] g/L) and 120 matched healthy children (113 [107-119] g/L) ...[more]

PMID: 23272266

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Project description:INTRODUCTION:As malaria transmission declines, understanding the differential impact of intensified control on Plasmodium falciparum relative to Plasmodium vivax and identifying key drivers of ongoing transmission is essential to guide future interventions. METHODS:Three longitudinal child cohorts were conducted in Papua New Guinea before (2006/2007), during (2008) and after scale-up of control interventions (2013). In each cohort, children aged 1-5?years were actively monitored for infection and illness. Incidence of malaria episodes, molecular force of blood-stage infections (molFOB) and population-averaged prevalence of infections were compared across the cohorts to investigate the impact of intensified control in young children and the key risk factors for malaria infection and illness in 2013. RESULTS:Between 2006 and 2008, P. falciparum infection prevalence, molFOB, and clinical malaria episodes reduced by 47%, 59% and 69%, respectively, and a further 49%, 29% and 75% from 2008 to 2013 (prevalence 41.6% to 22.1% to 11.2%; molFOB: 3.4 to 1.4 to 1.0 clones/child/year; clinical episodes incidence rate (IR) 2.6 to 0.8 to IR 0.2 episodes/child/year). P. vivax clinical episodes declined at rates comparable to P. falciparum between 2006, 2008 and 2013 (IR 2.5 to 1.1 to 0.2), while P. vivax molFOB (2006, 9.8; 2008, 12.1) and prevalence (2006, 59.6%; 2008, 65.0%) remained high in 2008. However, in 2013, P. vivax molFOB (1.2) and prevalence (19.7%) had also substantially declined. In 2013, 89% of P. falciparum and 93% of P. vivax infections were asymptomatic, 62% and 47%, respectively, were sub-microscopic. Area of residence was the major determinant of malaria infection and illness. CONCLUSION:Intensified vector control and routine case management had a differential impact on rates of P. falciparum and P. vivax infections but not clinical malaria episodes in young children. This suggests comparable reductions in new mosquito-derived infections but a delayed impact on P. vivax relapsing infections due to a previously acquired reservoir of hypnozoites. This demonstrates the need to strengthen implementation of P. vivax radical cure to maximise impact of control in co-endemic areas. The high heterogeneity of malaria in 2013 highlights the importance of surveillance and targeted interventions to accelerate towards elimination.

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Dataset Information

Severe anemia in Papua New Guinean children from a malaria-endemic area: a case-control etiologic study.

Background

Methodology/principal findings

Conclusions/significance

Publications

Severe anemia in Papua New Guinean children from a malaria-endemic area: a case-control etiologic study.

Similar Datasets

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